Unwanted Potential
by Black Genie
Summary: Final Fantasy VII meets the 15th century when an old curse comes to haunt the Gainsborough family.


Unwanted Potential | by Black Genie | Chapter 1  
  
"Must you leave, Father?"  
  
"I have to leave, my precious. It is my duty. My people are depending on me to make peace with the Mooglians. It is the only way we can live without worry."  
  
"It could be a clever trick to get you away from Drake so that they can attack or capture you."  
  
"My dear sweet Aerith. You have grown into a wise young woman. I am so proud of you." He brushed her cheek lightly. "You need not to worry about me. I am aware that the Mooglians can be tricky but I believe that they speak the truth. Now don't worry about me. And don't forget your mother will be here to protect you. I promise to return home safely."  
  
"I love you, Father."  
  
"I love you too," he said. "Goodbye my princess."  
  
The wise old man rode off on the back of a sea chocobo into the sunset followed an escort of royal guards.  
  
"Goodbye Father," Aeris whispered .  
  
A loyal servant came to her side. "Princess, it will be getting dark soon. You should head in to get some rest. You've had a busy day today."  
  
"Yes. Perhaps I should retire."  
  
Princess Aeris turned and walked back into the castle with the servant in tow.  
  
****  
  
A soft and sweet song echoed throughout the Drake kingdom. The villagers smiled in their sleep as they danced to it in their dreams. It was the song of the Princess. She always played her flute for the people that were willing to listen. Everyone respected her. Hardly anyone disliked her. She was always so very kind and giving toward others.  
  
Sitting at her window, Princess Aeris played the tune she made for her father on her flute. Her father had given her the flute as a birthday present. It was made of pink quartz and trimmed with gold. The Princess' bedroom was in the highest tower near the throne room. The bed covers were made of the finest silk and the pink drapes that covered the room glimmered in the moonlight. She could see beyond the castle walls and into the village. The north star always hung in the sky above her and every night she made a wish.  
  
"Please bring my father back safely," she prayed. "I don't know what I'd do without him."  
  
It was getting late. She should have been in bed hours ago. Aeris left her window and blew out the candle. Soon after her eyes closed and the flames in the fireplace burned out.  
  
****  
  
"The King has returned!"  
  
Aeris awoke when she heard a commotion coming from below. She rose to her feet and ran to her window. Men on sea chocobos were quickly approaching the palace. They raced up the dirt road as the drawbridge lowered and allowed them to enter. Aeris jumped with joy. She put on her robe and left her room. Overwhelmed with excitement, she never noticed the shortage of people who had returned.  
  
Aeris skipped down the large staircase and ran to the other end of the hall. She ran up another stairway to the throne room. The door was open. She peeked in quietly. From there, Aeris could see her mother, two royal servants, and the General who was kneeling before Queen Ifalna. No one had noticed the Princess' arrival.  
  
"Where is my husband?" asked Ifalna.  
  
"My Queen, on the way to Mooglia, we were ambushed," said the General. "The Mooglians murdered the all the escorts, but Patrin and Zafar. They are badly wounded-"  
  
"iWhat/i happened to my husband?" the Queen cut in.  
  
". . . Lord Sith personally sent King Gast to the next life."  
  
The young queen drew in a breath and slumped back into her chair. Her attendants moved to her side to comfort her. She put a weary hand to her face and stifled a sob. Princess Aeris stood in shock. iNo! It couldn't be true!i She gasped loud. Everyone turned and looked at her. The General stood. Aeris ran to him.  
  
"It's not true. Tell me it isn't true!" Aeris asked. Tears were already rolling down her cheeks.  
  
"I'm sorry, Princess. I cannot lie to you. Your father has passed on," he said gently.  
  
Aeris looked into his eyes for any hint that it was a lie. There wasn't. She covered her face and cried. The General took her in his arms and held her close.  
  
A servant entered the room and bowed. "General Sephiroth, Patrin and Zafar just . . . passed away."  
  
Sephiroth just looked at him and turned back to the weeping girl. Aeris pulled away and Sephiroth let her go.  
  
"Excuse me," Aeris said and ran out of the room.  
  
"General Sephiroth."  
  
Sephiroth turned to the Queen. "Yes, your majesty?"  
  
"How did you escape?"  
  
"I tried to hold off the soldiers so that His Majesty could escape but there were too many of them. They came at us from all directions. King Gast and I were separated. We fought and many of our men fell. Lord Sith appeared and sounded a retreat. When I discovered the King, they had killed him and set his body ablaze. I took the survivors and returned here as quickly as possible." He looked down. "I have failed the royal family and this kingdom. I am gravely sorry for the sorrow I have caused. I will resign from my duties as commanding officer if Her Majesty wishes it of me."  
  
The Queen was silent for a moment then shook her head. "That is unnecessary."   
  
"As Queen, I will take the place of King Gast and rule Drake with the same honor and discipline he once did," the Queen looked to her advisor. "Send a messenger notifying the people of Drake and our friends about the King's departure in the morning. A ceremony will be held in honor of my husband in a few days."  
  
Ifalna tried to keep her voice steady but failed. "Sephiroth, gather a search party and bring my husband home."  
  
"As you wish, my Queen." Sephiroth nodded and left.  
  
****  
  
Aeris didn't come out of her room for two days straight. She cried day and night and didn't want any visitors, not even her own mother. The remains of the king and the other soldiers were recovered and brought back to the castle. There was a grand burial. Leaders from all over came to pay their respects to the late ruler.  
  
Four days after the funeral, Ifalna started to worry about her daughter. She was eating again, but refused to leave her room. She tried many times to persuade her into going outside but nothing worked.  
  
Late one evening, General Sephiroth decided to turn in after a long day of exercising and sword practice. He noticed a ghostly figure slinking its way through the halls up ahead. Curious, he followed quietly. The person, obviously a woman, disappeared into the rose garden up ahead. Sephiroth knew right away that it had to be Aeris. Whenever the princess wanted to be alone, she always went to a special place in the west garden.  
  
Sephiroth knew Aeris well. In fact, he knew everything about her. At first it was just loyalty but as the years went on and both of them matured, she suddenly became irresistible. He ignored it and called it infatuation. Sephiroth reminded himself of his duties as a soldier and expected it to pass soon. He was to only love and protect the crown but now it was getting hard not to fall in love with her.  
  
Upon approaching the west garden, he could hear a melodic tune playing quietly up ahead. The song sounded sad and yet peaceful at the same time. He found Aeris in her favorite spot. She jumped, startled by his sudden intrusion. She was sitting comfortably on a low tree branch before a tiny pond that never seemed to dry up.  
  
The bright moonlight made her look even more beautiful. He could see that her lovely cheeks were streaked with tears.  
  
"I'm sorry if I frightened you, Highness." Sephiroth apologized. "Are you all right?"  
  
Aeris shrugged then nodded. "Come and sit with me."  
  
The handsome General obeyed. He handed her his handkerchief and she accepted it.  
  
"Did my father say anything before he died?" Aeris asked.  
  
Sephiroth hesitated. "As a matter of a fact, he did. He muttered something about the brass to the oak is in the ivory. I don't know what he meant by it. Do you know what he's talking about, Princess?"  
  
Aeris went silent for a moment. She looked away in thought. It had to be a riddle of some sort, but what. She hopped down from the tree branch and wiped her face with the handkerchief. She looked up at the sky for an answer. Sephiroth watched her silently. Although he tried, he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She like an angel in the moonlight.  
  
"I believe I do," Aeris started quickly for the castle.  
  
Sephiroth followed. "Where are you going, Princess?"  
  
"You don't have to keep calling me princess. Aeris will do just fine," she said.  
  
"Aeris, where are you going?" he asked again.  
  
"I think I know what he's talking about," she said. "Come on."  
  
Sephiroth followed Aeris into the castle dungeon. He took a torch off the wall and brought it along. The prisoners were asleep and did not notice their arrival. She took him down a hall with a row of empty cells. It led straight to a dead end. Aeris felt along the cracks of the wall.  
  
"Somewhere around here is a fake brick," Aeris said. "See if you can find it."  
  
Sephiroth began inspecting each brick carefully. He reached out and touched one. The brick slid inward and disappeared into a side compartment. Sephiroth held the torch up to the hole. Aeris reached inside and felt around for what she was looking for. She pulled out a small ivory box and opened it. Inside was an old brass key.  
  
"We found it," Aeris announced.  
  
"A brass key in an ivory box," Sephiroth said. "I must say you are smart Princ-, I mean, Aeris."  
  
Aeris smiled. "Come on. I know where the last part of the riddle is."  
  
They went back upstairs and into the Princess' bedroom. Aeris started a fire and lit a few candles so that they would not be in the dark. Sephiroth gazed around the beautifully decorated room. It had been years since he had last been there. He was only a small child then. As son of one of the Queen's maids, he worked in the kitchens with the chef until he was old enough to go into the military for training. He found her room by accident while he was exploring the castle. It was the first time he'd met her in person.  
  
Aeris looked at him. "Sephiroth, please help me with this."  
  
Sephiroth came out of his daze and went to the Princess' aid. He lifted a large wooden box from under the Princess' bed and set it down on the table. Aeris put the key in the lock and turned it. An oak chest, Sephiroth thought. The lock snapped open. Aeris removed it and opened the box. Inside was a small crown decorated with gems. Aeris had never seen it before. Aeris gasped with amazement and picked it up.  
  
"It's beautiful," she said.  
  
She handed it to Sephiroth and he placed it on her head.  
  
"How do I look?" she asked.  
  
Sephiroth smiled. "Like the most beautiful queen in the world."  
  
Aeris blushed. "Thank you."  
  
They turned their attention back to the box. There was jewelry and a few bars of gold at the bottom of the box. Sitting alone in a corner was a small pink orb.  
  
"It's materia!" Aeris said. "I've never owned one before. I wonder what it does."  
  
She continued looking through the box. Lying on top of the bars was a note. It read:  
  
Dear Princess Aerith,  
  
If you are reading this then I must be dying or I'm already dead. Do not cry for me. More dangers lie ahead of you, my child. The world has chosen you to be its protector. There will come a time when you may have to face evil alone. Only you can stop it when it arrives. Do not be afraid, daughter. Your mother and will I always be with you, no matter what.  
  
Your father,  
  
King Gast  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
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